In the middle of the night this past Saturday, May 27, 2017, the world lost an icon. And I lost a dear friend.
The Father of Juicing, the “Juiceman,” Jay Kordich, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 … leaving behind an unparalleled legacy.
Jay ignited the juicing movement in this country.
At the age of 22, he healed himself of a rare form of cancer with a simple recipe of apple/carrot juice. That triumph over death sparked a lifelong passion to teach and inspire others to heal and live long, healthy lives through juicing.
Jay was the man who inspired me to juice in my early twenties.
It’s his work … his contagious fire … his books and his passionate lectures … that helped me to win my battle against high cholesterol, rid my body of toxins I had spent a lifetime accumulating, and set me on a lifelong path of good health.
Jay did the same for thousands of others across the nation, and ultimately the world.
His passion was so intense and well-known, that he was the subject of an endearing parody by actor, Jim Carrey in the 1990s.
I had the opportunity to work closely with Jay to produce an online Juicing school, a compilation of much of his life’s work.
I was lucky to get to know Jay. And I got to meet my juicing idol many times. He was as sweet, positive and inspiring in person as the man I watched on TV in my youth.
Jay carried the same passion for juicing into his 90s that he had his most of his life… and he was a model in death as he was in life.
Jay passed away from natural causes. Without disease. And I understand from his widow that he literally died with a smile on his face.
He leaves this earth with a life that was more than accomplished… he really did change the world.
Whenever you step into a juice bar, know that it was Jay that was responsible for creating the movement that continues to grow today.
If you had the opportunity to learn directly from Jay, then you are blessed. But if you didn’t, know that his influence has affected you in some way. Just as surely as if you had heard one of his impassioned lectures.
Jay was filled with love and gave so much.. not only to all of us, but to his family.
